Igniter for explosive-engines.



" No. 645,398. 1 Paten ted Mar. l3, I900.

. L.. JONES, 1R.

IGNITERFOR EXPLOSIVE ENGINES.

, (Application filed, June 22, 1899.)

No Model.)

WITNESSES: -INVEN R:

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5m 1 W/SJO 5 43 m: ncnms PETERS cu FNOTOL THO WASNINDTON u c UNITEDSTATES PATENT LEYVIS JONES, JR, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

lGNlTER FOR EXPLOSlVE-ENGlNES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 645,398, dated March13, 1900.

Application filed June 22,1899.

T0 aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LEWIS JONES, J r., of Philadelphia, in the State ofPennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inIgniters for Explosive-Engines, whereof the following is aspecification, reference being had to the accompanying draw- 1ngs..

My invention relates to igniters comprising relatively-movable terminalsof an electrical circuit and means to produce an electrical sparkbetween said terminals by the contact and separation thereof.

It is the objectof my invention to provide a durable and efficientdevice of the type specified consisting of few and simple parts arrangedto be readily removed and returned with respect to their operativeposition in an explosive-engine, so as to be conveniently repaired orrenewed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a sectional view showing aconvenient embodiment of my invention. Fig. 2 is an inverted plan viewof the removable plug in which the electrical terminals are mounted.Fig. 3 is a perspective View showing the construction of theterminal-actuating mechanism.

In said figures,'A is the engine-cylinder, whichisin communication withthe gas-chamber B, whose Wall b is provided with a screwthreaded openingI), in which is fitted the screw-threaded plug 0, containing theterminals D and E of an electric circuit comprising a source of current.The terminal D extends vqithin said gas-chamber B in fixed insulatedrelation with said plug, and the contact-lug d of said terminal D isopposed to the contact-luge of the terminal E,Which projects within saidgas-chamber and is mounted to slide within said plug. The tubularextension 0 upon the top of the plug C surrounds the outer extremity ofthe slidable terminal E and contains a spring F, which tends to thrustsaid terminal E into contact with the terminal D.

The rock-shaft G extends within the gaschamber B and is provided with atappet g, extending across the axis of rotation of the plug 0. Saidshaft G and tappet g are oscillated, as hereinafter described, to permitthe terminal E to slide into contact with Serial No. 721,501, (Nomodel.)

the terminal D and to uplift it from contact therewith, and it is to benoted that the terminal E is arranged in concentric relation with thethreaded portion of the plug C, so that the tappet 9 shall always be inregistry with said terminal regardless of the rotary position of saidplug. Such an arrangement of the terminals is advantageous in that y itfacilitates the assembling of the parts. The tappet H is fixed upon saidshaft G exterior to said chamber and is provided with the arm I andspring J, which serve to normally maintain the terminal E uplifted inthe position shown in Fig. 1. tappet H projects within the path of thecampiece K,which is mounted upon the cam-disk L, fixed upon the rotaryshaft M, the relation of the parts being such that said tappet F isuplifted by the traverse of the cam-piece K beneath its outer end h topermit the terminal E to be thrust into contact with the terminal D bymeans of the spring F. When, however, the corner of said cam-piece Kescapes from beneath the tappet end It, the latter is snapped back intoits normal position by means of the spring J, and, the terminal E beingthereby uplifted and separated from the terminal D, a spark is producedbetween the respective terminal-lugs d and eand the gas within saidchamber B is ignited. There is a definite and substantially-uniformlapse of time between each production of the electric spark at saidterminals D E and the consequent explosion within the cylinder A, sothat if the spark is produced at the instant the piston in the cylindercomes to rest at the extremity of its stroke there is some idle motionof the parts before the effective explosion occurs, and therefore whenthe engine is running at full speed it is desirable to op- The outer endh of said,

erate the igniter before the instant of rest .ing or running at slowspeed.

with respect to the cycle of operation of the engine, and it beingunderstood that the shaft M is always rotated in definite relation withthe movement of the engine-piston such variation in the production ofthe spark is conveniently eifected asfollows: Asupplemental bearingmember N- is pivoted at 07. upon the bearing end h of the tappet H toform,in the position of the parts shown in Fig. 1, a continuation ofsaid bearing end it of the tappet to up hold the latter by contact withthe cam-piece K until said cam and the shaft M are rotated to a greaterextent than is required to free the end h from said cam-piece. Saidsupplemental tappet member N is formed of such thickness as to delay theoperation of the igniter the proper length of time to insure the maximumefficiency of the engine when start- VVhen, however, the speed of theengine is increased, the member N may be rotated out of alinement withthe tappet end 71, asshown in Fig. 3, and the cam-piece K having totraverse merely the narrow extent of said end it the spark is producedat an earlier instant in the cycle of operation of the engine and themaximum efficiency thereof at high speed is secured. In-

stantaneous separation of the terminals D E being necessary to securethe maximum effi ciency of production of an electric spark between them,the corner k of the cam-piece K is formed substantially radial withrespect to the shaft M, and the bearing end h of the tappet H and itssupplement N are also abruptly terminated. Although it is designed thatthe shaft M shall be continuously rotated in the direction indicated bythe arrow upon Fig. 1 in order to prevent destruction of the tappet orcam-piece by possible reverse engagement of the abrupt edges thereof, Iprefer to pivot the cam-piece K upon the camdisk L and maintain itnormally against the stop Z, as shown, by means of the spring m, so thatif the cam-disk is reversely rotated said cam-piece K shall clear thetappet byidly rotating upon its pivotal bearing against the tension ofsaid spring on, the latter, however, serving to instantly return thecam-piece to its normal position When released.

I do not desire to limit myself to the precise details of constructionor arrangement of the parts which I have described, as it is obviousthat various modifications may be made therein without departing fromthe spirit of my invention.

I claim 1. In an igniter for an explosive-engine, the combination with agas-chamber, having a screw-threaded aperture in its wall, of ascrewthreaded plug, fitted to said aperture, an electrical terminalmounted in said plug, in eccentric relation with said thread, anelectrical terminal mounted to slide in said plug in concentric relationWith said thread, and a rockshaft having a tappet within said chamber,arranged in concentric relation with said screw-thread, to operate saidconcentric slidable terminal, substantially as set forth.

2. In an igniter for an explosive-engine, the combination with agas-chamber, having an aperture in its Wall, of a plug fitted to saidaperture, an electrical terminal mounted in said plug, in eccentricrelation therewith, an electrical terminal mounted to slide in saidplug, in concentric relation therewith, and a rock-shaft having atappet'arranged in concentric relation With said'plug, to operate saidconcentric slidable terminal, substantially as set forth.

3. In an igniter for an explosive-engine, the combination with agas-chamber, of an igniter-plug entered in the wall of said gaschamber,in removable relation therewith, an electrical terminal fixed in saidplug, an electrical terminal mounted to slide in said plug, a rock-shaftprovided with a tappet Within said chamber, in operative relation withsaid slidable terminal, a tappet fixed upon said rock-shaft exterior tosaid chamber, a rotary cam-disk arranged to oscillate said tappet, andmeans, adj ustably mounted upon said exterior tappet, arranged to varyits oscillation, substantially as set forth.

4. In an igniter for an explosive-engine, the

combination with a gas-chamber, having a screw-threaded aperture in itswall, of a screwthreaded plug fitted to said aperture, an electricalterminal fixed in said plug in eccentric relation with said thread,means to insulate said eccentric terminal from said plug, an electricalterminalmounted to slide in said plug in concentric relation with saidthread, a tubular extension of said plug, exterior to said gas-chamber,inclosing said slidable terminal, a spring arranged in said tubularextension to thrust said slidable terminal inwardly, a rock-shaftprovided with a tappet extending Within said chamber, in registry withsaid concentric terminal, a spring, operatively related to said shaft,to normally uplift said concentric terminal, by means of said tappet,and means to oscillate said rockshaft and thereby effect the connection,and disconnection, of said terminals, substantially as set forth.

5. In an igniter for an explosive-engine, the combination with a gas-chamber, having a screw-threaded aperture in its wall, of ascrewthreaded plug fitted to said aperture, an electrical terminal fixedin said plug in eccentric relation with said thread, means to insulatesaid eccentric terminal from said plug, an electrical terminal mountedto slide in said plug in concentric relation with said thread,

a tubular extension of said plug, exterior to said gas-chamber,inclosing said slidable terminal, a spring, arranged in said tubularextension to thrust said slidable terminal inwardly, a rock-shaftprovided with a tappet extending within said chamber, in registry Withsaid concentric terminal, a spring, operatively related to said shaft,to normally uplift said concentric terminal, by means of said tappet, astop upon said cam-disk, and a spring tappet, a second tappet upon saidrock-shaft, to normally maintain said cam-piece against exterior to saidgas-chamber, an adjustable said stop, substantially as set forth.

supplemental bearing member, pivoted upon LEWIS JONES, JR. 5 saidexterior tappet, a rotary cam-disk, a cam- Witnesses:

piece eccentrically pivoted upon said cam- WM. H. H. CARVER,

disk, in operative relation with said exterior FRANK A. SELTZER.

